ĐÀ NẴNG — The central city’s Department of Construction has suspended construction of the coastal international Đa Phước urban project in downtown Hải Châu District due to an incomplete environmental assessment report.

The department said the project, which was formerly invested by Korean Daewon Cantavil, had been transferred to a new local investor – Novaland, or Sunrise Bay – for a new urban development on 175.9ha on coastal Nguyễn Tất Thành Street.

It said the project was granted a construction licence for infrastructure in the first stage on 46.6ha in January, but the project’s investor has yet to complete the assessment of environmental impacts and fire prevention measures required by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

The department said the project intentionally began to dig wastewater discharge channels.

According to the announcement, the department also suspended the construction of the project’s sea embankment for investigation of material used for the project.

The project was delayed from 2008 and eventually transferred from Korea’s Daewon Cantavil to Novaland with total value of US$250 million, according to an official source.

Last week, the city also suspended two big projects – the Biển Tiên Sa villa project and the 43-storey Central Coast condotel project – for illegal construction.

The city also fined the two illegal construction projects with a cash of VNĐ40 million (US$1,800) each.

In a meeting last week, the city’s party also blamed the chief inspection under the department, Trần Văn Dũng, and some officials of the Sơn Trà District’s People’s Committee for poor management and control of illegal construction projects. — VNS